alongside
Americanadverb
preposition
-
beside; by the side of.
The dog ran alongside me all the way.
-
Informal. alongside of, compared with.
Alongside of his brother, he is no student at all.
preposition
adverb
Etymology
Origin of alongside
Explanation
Use the adverb alongside when two things are right next to each other, like a boat and a dock or a hunter and her loyal dog. If you pull up alongside your friend's car in a parking lot, it means that you've parked directly beside it. Alongside can also imply cooperation, as when a baker's assistant works alongside him, kneading dough and wiping flour off the counter. Alongside was once a phrase, either "along side" or "along the side," both primarily used in a nautical sense, to talk about boats. In the 1700s it became a single word.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He played alongside David Foster in the band for the original “Rocky Horror” stage show and took a job once held by Barry Manilow to serve as Bette Midler’s musical director.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
"Eleanor was a much-valued member of the Valleys to Coast team, and her loss has been deeply felt by everyone who knew and worked alongside her," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
The champion appeared on TV throughout his career, including the NBC reality travel series “Better Late Than Never,” alongside fellow stars William Shatner, Henry Winkler, and Terry Bradshaw.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
Since protests began, high school students have also attended protests alongside their university counterparts, with police and authorities regularly condemning the involvement of minors in violence.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
With Maggie alongside, Leah met them in the foyer, repeating the discouraging message, “The spirits have left us.”
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
